Improvement in dress-swords



UNITED STATE-s PATENT Omron..

JAMES M. MASON, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO ALEXANDER &'MASON, OF SAME PLACE.

.l MPROVEMENT lN DRESS-SWORDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l 12,729, (lated March 14, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMZES M. MASON, of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dress-Swords; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists of a sword and scabbard, each made in two or more parts, and capable of being readily disconnected, or so reduced in'size as to admit of its being packed in a short box, valise, trunk, or other receptacle, and is particularly adapted for use byKnights Templar, Knights of Pythias, or others who use dress-swords.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which- Figure l is a front view of the sword-blade, the handle being in section. Fig.`2 is an edge view of the blade. Fig. 3 is a view of the screw-driver. Fig. llis a view of the scabbard. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are views showing some of the modifications of the connection of the parts vof the sword-blade.

A A' represent the upper and lower parts of the sword-blade, which are made of any suitable metal and in any of the known or ordinary ways. B represents the hilt, and C represents the handle. The hilt maybe of any material, and the handle is made partially hollow, as shown. The blade of the sword is 1n ade of two or more parts, and is capable of being readily disconnected or connected. The part A is attached to or through the hilt B. This section A of the blade, at its lower end, is cast or otherwise made of one-half of the thickness of the blade proper, so as to form an elongated strip, extending from a shoulder thus formed on one face of the blade, a suitable distance in length to make a firm connection withthe lower section, Af, of the blade. The section A', at its upper end, is made of the same form as the lower end of the upper section, A; but the extending pieee from the shoulder is on 'a side tongue-and-groove connection; Fig. 6, a cor-A rugated or notched connection, and Fig. 7 a half-diamond form of connection.

I do not confine myself to any forni for the connection of the parts of the blade, as that may be made to suit. f

When the parts are put together the blade of the sword 011 either sideis even on its faces `its entire length.

The two parts AA are connected by a screw, z, or other device. This screw is made of a length equal to the thickness of the swordblade, and is passed through at or near the center of the elongated extension-strips of the two sections A A. This screw, as well as the blade of the sword, may be suitably ornamented, so as to conceal the screw and joints of the sections.

C represents the handle of the sword, the upper portion of which is hollow, as shown.

The top D of the handle may be of any design, such as a Maltese cross, helmet, or other device, and of itself forms the handle of a small screw-driver, which is screwed into the hollow part of the handle and can be extracted at will. This screw-driver is intended to take out or screw in the screw z, which connects the parts A A of the blade, so as to d isengage or engage the parts of the blade at will.

The upper end of the blade-section A is usually provided with an elongated tongue, which passes through the hilt B and through the solid portion of the handle C, and there clinched over, so as to firmly connect these parts.

E E represent the seabbard of the sword, which may be of metal or other suitable material. acts on the telescopic principle, the lower part of the scabbard being smaller than the upper part, and freely moving in and out of it.

This scabbard is made in two parts and At the bottom of the top section, on its :i-n-

ner side, I provide anarrow ridge or `lugs,

while on the outer part of' the upper end of the or lugs, y, to prevent the parts from being separated.

The inner side of the upper end of the upper section may be provided with a catch of any suitable construction, to engage the lower section when folded within the upper section to prevent its falling downward. The scabbard when folded may thus be one-half its original length, and be out of the Way in marchino'.

A sword and scabbard made substantially as described will be found very convenient for persons traveling with dress-swords, as they can be easily reduced in length, and allow them to be packed in regala-boxes, valises, or other small boxes or sacks.

Having thus fully described my invention,

Letters Patent, is-

l. A dress-sword blade made in two or more parts,-capable of being disconnected and conn'e'cted together, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a dress-s Word blade, as above, the handle C, made partially hollow, and provided with the screw-driver D, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the sword-sections A A,whose upper andlower ends are each formed with extension-pieces one-halt` the thickness of the blade,`an.d with dovetailed shoulders m,

of any suitable form, and the parts connected together by one or more screws, z, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day ot' January, 1871.

J. M. MASON.

Witnesses EDM. F. BROWN, U. L. EVERT. 

